It didn't take long for them to find the second group of arsonists, the raging fires were a dead giveaway. They were operating further east, near a small lake, hardly more than a pond. Dante's neighborhood watch was nowhere to be seen, likely still dealing with their previous work. They would have to deal with them alone.
They dropped Javier and the caged dogs off near the enemy's current position. Andrei wished he could have the young man by his side in the fight, while inexperienced, the youth had spirit. Unfortunately, he was the only one capable of handling the task assigned to him.
The rest of them mounted their makeshift chariots, Andrei would be Gabriel's driver, taking the center point of their formation, the most dangerous position. He seated himself behind a large wooden board, makeshift defense against thrown weapons.
Gabriel jumped into the carriage, a makeshift spear made out of a long hoe handle and a kitchen knife fitted into the seam at the end, held together with strings. It was unlikely to survive for long but it was the best they could manage on such short notice. Gabriel's men mirrored him.
Andrei prodded the horse forward, testing the animal's responses to the reigns, getting comfortable with being in control. He dearly hoped the chaos caused by the dogs would be sufficient to make the horses charge as Michael expected. Were the bandits to hold a tight formation, he had no doubts the horses would panic, stopping and getting them killed.
A couple minutes spent driving around the neighborhood later, Andrei felt comfortable with the reigns enough to command their plan to commence.
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He signaled to Javier, the young man knowing what to do. Andrei along with the rest of their chariots took their positions just out of the sight of the gangsters, far enough that they could accelerate to the maximum speed the carts allowed.
Once they were in position Javier opened the cages. The dogs, who had been barking and whining until now erupted out onto the street, running at full speed towards the commotion they could hear nearby, ignoring Javier.
The gangsters, caught off guard by the sudden appearance of the dogs, scrambled to defend themselves. They swung their weapons, trying to fend off the canines, but the dogs were too many and too fast to simply shake off.
As expected, the chaos caused by the dogs was exactly the type of distraction needed. Andrei and the remaining drivers prodded the horses forward, turning onto the street occupied by the arsonists and accelerating towards them. The riders held on tightly as they barreled down the street towards the gangsters.
Andrei could hear the thudding of the horses' hooves on the pavement, the clashing of weapons, and the barking of the dogs. His heart was beating louder that any of those sounds, blood lust and adrenaline running through his veins.
Some of the gang members turned, their eyes wide in shock at the incoming charge. They tried to shout warnings to their compatriots but those were too busy fending off the dogs, so instead they turned and ran for the houses surrounding the road, those that weren't already on fire that is.
Gabriel and his men, armed with their makeshift spears, prepared themselves for the initial impact, one hand holding onto the cart for support, the other drawing spears back, ready to perforate gangsters who got close to the chariots.
As the chariots met the chaos of men and dogs, Andrei prayed to whatever gods listening for the horses to not stop. They have been must in good mood today as the horses pushed their way through.
Screams erupted everywhere around him, mixed in with pathetic whines of the innocent animals, horses trampling, blades scything down anything that stood in their way, be it 'friend' or foe. Most of the screams were incoherent shouts of agony and desperation, but of the few that managed to form words, most shouted for help.
After the horses cleared the line of enemies, Andrei risked a look back. The sight before him was straight out of hell.
While most of the gangsters technically survived the charge, Andrei wouldn't call them battle capable. Many laid on the ground, screaming, their legs mangled. Brutalized by the horses' feet or by the short swords attached to the axles of the wheel. Several outright lost their legs, the appendages separated and rolling around on the ground.
Those of the gangsters that somehow managed to avoid the charge were frozen in shock, stuck looking at the crime against humanity surrounding them.
Whatever dogs that managed to survive both the initial impact and the deadly short swords were running away in primal terror, scattering every which way.
Andrei refocused on his driving, maneuvering the horse and cart around for another charge. It was time to finish this.
By the time they staring getting their speed up, most of the gangsters not wounded were already broken out of their shock, trying to help their screaming comrades or outright running. Those foolish enough to stick around joined those already on the ground, their bones broken and muscles severed.
The chariots slowed down in the middle of the streets, amid those shouting and moaning in agony. Andrei, Gabriel and his men dismounting and drawing their weapons as the other three chariots sped back towards Javier's hiding place. It was time to clean this up.
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Andrei and his group began systematically going from house to house, clearing out any remaining gangsters who chose hiding instead of fleeing. They were met with little resistance, most of the survivors too scared, scattered and outnumbered to put up much of a fight.
As they searched, they found evidence of the gangsters' activities, torches, broken glass bottle smelling of strong alcohol. Many abandoned their weapons as they fled, most likely in hopes of being indistinguishable from town's residents.
It took a couple of hours to clear out the area, but when they were done, the only sign remaining of their activity were the burning houses and the butchery in the middle of the road. Andrei let the wounded scream to their hearts content, not in the mood to offer them a quick end, and led his men back to Javier.
Andrei felt a sense of satisfaction as they made their way back. Another victory belonged to him, and admittedly Michael. Without his plan he was likely to lose most of their forces, if not all of them.
Javier was already waiting for them, but much to Andrei's disappointment his features showed neither triumph nor awe. Instead he looked at Andrei with a mix of emotions that were too hard to decipher. He let that go,now was not the time to worry about the young man's development.
"It's about time I take back control," said his prisoner.
Andrei rolled his eyes in frustration, diving into their mind.
"We are not done yet," reminded him Andrei.
"What do you mean, we are not done yet?" questioned Michael from Andrei's typical spot.
"Dante said these were just groups responsible for setting the fires, don't you want to help the neighborhood watch deal with the remaining looters?" responded Andrei. "By his own count there around hundred of them to begin with, we barely dealt with forty."
Silence came from his cabinet, Michael obviously going some theory or another of his. Andrei gave him his time, for once they could spare it.
"After this is over, you will return to the cabinet on your own," said Michael suddenly.
"What?!" he exclaimed at him, "Are you crazy? I do all of this for you and your stupid friends and then you try to cheat me out of the single skill point I get to have as a payment?" How dared he?
"Don't act like you are not enjoying this, I am just trying to achieve some kind of a working relationship between us, one where you could be released more often," argued Michael.
"Oh right, like a dog on a leash, ready to maul your enemies while you keep a clean conscience," angrily retorted Andrei, "I don't think that's what you call a working relationship. It reminds me more of slavery." Before Michael could argue any further, Andrei grabbed his skill hole puncher, the carved numeral reading one, and punched a hole through his Volition skill. "You can keep your 'working relationship'. I can't wait for this to be over and you having to lose a point to wrest control back."
With those words, he left his mind's space, trying to focus back on reality only for Michael's words to reach him nonetheless.
"I tried being reasonable but if that's how you want it."
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Andrei and his little band remounted their chariots, making their way through the town, looking for Dante's men. They found them on the trail of fire left in the wake of the arsonists they have just dealt with, putting out the last of their handy work.
The men of the neighborhood watch stared with mouths agape as the Warrenville militia rolled in on chariots, blades mounted at their wheels still dripping red. Andrei dismounted, searching for their leader.
Dante Audrey was hard at work. Standing in the line passing along a bucket of water, he has not stopped working since Andrei, well Michael, saw him last.
He came up to the man, taking the bucket that was being passed to him and handing it over to the next man in line. Dante gave him a grateful look, sweat rolling down his brow, breathing fast and ragged.
"You are back, gave up on dealing with the arsonists, heh?" the man asked as he wiped his forehead with shirt stained with ash.
Andrei didn't answer, merely pointing to the chariots parked not far from here and his men, who stood around, getting their well deserved rest.
Dante looked surprised for a second, but he didn't let it faze him for long, "Are they dealt with?"
Andrei nodded, "Yeah."
"Jesus," exclaimed the big man, "I can't express how grateful we are."
"You don't have to, what's next?" asked Andrei, handing over another bucket filled with water. It was surprisingly heavy, he could see how a man would get tired quick doing this.
"What's next?" Dante scratched his head before continuing, "To be honest I didn't think this far ahead. I didn't believe you could actually deal with our little fire setting problem."
Andrei took another bucket from a man to his left, handing it over, "What do you know about them?"
"Well as I said, original counts were around hundred, so whoever was not with the arsonists must be with the looters. Last I heard they were wrecking through are north-east of here," he said, spitting on the ground, "Neighborhoods there are densely packed with houses, a good target for them while we are preoccupied here," he looked around, "Were preoccupied."
"How many men do you have?" Andrei questioned.
Dante seemed to think for a while, "Maybe thirty? Although, that's counting sheriff's men as well."
Andrei sighed in resignation, that meant another battle against the odds.
"But I see you got a system going," he said, pointing to their chariots, "maybe we could use that."
Andrei shook his head, "You said the area is densely packed with houses, a bad place to use those."
Dante looked despondent, "Right, well, then the only advantage I can think of is the fact that the gangsters won't stay in one group. No way will sixty men loot a single house, especially knowing we are supposed to be kept busy, they might spread thin enough to make it easy for us."
That didn't sound half bad, if the gangsters split into groups optimal to loot each house, they might be lucky enough to encounter only small groups of a couple looters.
Perhaps for once, luck was on their side?